Delicious even when eaten standing up! 4 "standing sushi" restaurants in the Taipei area

▲ West Lake Mini Standing 200 NT dollar grilled nigiri set. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Japan’s “standing meal” trend has gradually made its way to Taiwan in recent years. There are now four “standing sushi” (teishoku-style standing sushi bars) restaurants in the Taipei area. The earliest to open was Ajishi Sushi Standing, followed by Uoichiba Standing and West Lake Mini Standing. This year, a new standing sushi spot, Wosushi, opened at ATT 4 FUN. However, Ajishi has recently received mixed online reviews, while West Lake Mini Standing has been growing in popularity, and Uoichiba Standing remains a favorite. Aside from standing sushi, there’s also a tiny standing “omelette roll” (egg roll) eatery on Fujin Street in Taipei, and in Banqiao, there’s a standing sandwich shop called Little Clear Sky.

In Japan, standing meals are common mainly to allow office workers to eat quickly. The shops are small, have no seating, and are relatively more affordable. However, in Taiwan, “standing” or “standing sushi” seems to have become a trendy culture, and the prices aren’t much cheaper. That said, West Lake Market’s Mini Standing benefits from low stall rent (the owner believes the small space suits this dining style), which reduces operating costs. As a result, the owner can offer high cost-performance sushi and seafood.

▲ Wosushi ─ Grilled salmon belly nigiri. (Photo / fromWosushiFacebook)

Wosushi
Located on the 5F of ATT 4 Fun, Wosushi opened just this year. Its menu includes sushi, sashimi, rice, fried dishes, and drinks. Sushi combo prices range between 300 and 1200 NT dollars, while sashimi and nigiri prices range between 200 and 500 NT dollars.

Address: 12 Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City, ATT 4 Fun 5F
Tel: 02-77450877
Business Hours:

West Lake Mini Standing(Closed)
Chef Xu Yawei, who once worked at the Regent Taipei and Uoichiba, wanted to start his own business but lacked the funds to rent a regular shop. He suddenly thought of how many Japanese restaurants in Japan are located in traditional markets, where rents are much lower. So he started his venture in West Lake Market.

Here, you can enjoy seafood (6 slices of fish, shrimp roe, squid, tamago, seaweed) for 350 NT dollars, or get 9 slices of fish, scallops, sakura shrimp, salmon roe, and sea urchin for 500 NT dollars — a combination like that would usually cost over 500 NT dollars at a regular restaurant. Additionally, the 200 NT dollar grilled nigiri combo is also very popular. Other options include individual nigiri pieces.

Address: No. 285, Section 1, Neihu Rd., Taipei City (MRT: West Lake Station, inside West Lake Market, 1F)
Tel: 0913-358068
Business Hours: 09:00–16:00 (may close earlier if ingredients run out)
Closed: Mondays

▲ Uoichiba Standing Sushi. (Photo / by Yu Ru)

Uoichiba Standing
Operated by the Mitsui Restaurant Group, Uoichiba not only has regular dining areas but also a “standing” section, which is also often crowded. Set meal prices range from 580 to 980 NT dollars, while à la carte items start from as low as 30 NT dollars each.

Address: No. 18, Lane 2, Alley 410, Minzu E. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Tel: 02-2508-1268
Business Hours: Standing section 10:00–17:00

Ajishi (Shidong Market)
Located on the first floor of Shidong Market, Ajishi is considered a pioneer of standing sushi and remains a popular spot, often with long queues. Ajishi offers omakase-style dining—you can ask the chef to decide, eat until you’re full and then stop, or specify a budget.

Address: No. 100, Shidong Road, Shilin District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-28346136
Business hours: 10:30~17:00